IKEA in Richmond

IKEA  in Richmond

          It was Armin's day off from work at Boeing Aerostructures in Port Melbourne.  Taking the Burnley tunnel, he was on his way to Richmond with a small group of friends. Richmond is a busy part of Melbourne city proper where commercial establishments are located. While his big beautiful house in Watervale is already fully furnished, he visits regularly a giant store selling quality furniture and fine home decors. Armin is a regular patron of Ikea.

          With the mother company based in Netherlands, Ikea is the largest furniture retailer in the whole world.  It has more than 300 outlets scattered in different parts of the world. It boasts of the capacity to sell ready-to-assemble furniture worth more than $23 billion in a single year. IKEA is short for "Ingvar Kamprad who grew up in Elmtaryd and whose roots are in Agunnaryd in Sweden." Owner Ingvar Kamprad is one of the world's richest.

                 

          Ikea in Richmond has three floors with two floors serving as display areas and storerooms of products for sale.  The items are systematically arranged.  There are counters where you place your orders and there are designated pick up areas.  While some items are piled up too high, the store arrangement generally makes shopping easier. Ikea has its own multi-level parking area.

          While his friends were all busy looking at and sorting some cooking utensils and some newly arrived foldable chairs, Armin immediately proceeded to the third floor.  It is where Ikea's restaurant is housed.  Without even browsing over the menu, he ordered Ikea's equally popular Swedish meatballs. To go with the meatballs were fried potatoes and a glass of Coke. In 10 minutes, he was done.  It was all over. With a toothpick in one corner of his mouth, he let his right foot rest on a vacant chair.  Obviously, he looked contented.  He looked satisfied with what he had.  For Armin is a self-confessed habitue of Ikea's restaurant.  He always tells his friends:  " Ikea is not about chairs. It is not about beds or tables. It is all about MEATBALLS !! "  So there !

- Konted

West Gate Bridge leading to Melbourne City proper

Burnley Tunnel takes you to Richmond.  This tunnel is right under the Yarra River.

A busy intersection in Richmond

Ikea store in Richmond.  It is at the corner of Victoria St. and Burnley St.

Guaranteed convenient shopping at Ikea

To the upper floors

Swedish lamps at affordable prices

For your dream house

Everything you need is at Ikea.

For your kitchen needs

Ikea offers nothing but the best.

Complementing each other

Space savers

Ikea's functional furniture

Armin (right) with Alex

Home decor lighting

Ikea's Mr. Goldfinger

At low prices

Knock down furniture section

At discounted prices

Guide for shoppers

Systematically arranged

Kitchen utensils section

Shopping made easier at Ikea

Trolley section

Ikea delivers.

Ikea's restaurant at the upper level

Dining after shopping

Relaxing atmosphere at Ikea Restaurant

Ikea's coffee

The best meatballs in the world

Discounted price every Wednesday

Dine while u wait for your companions

Ikea's multi-level parking area

Armin's house at Watervale

Armin's home theater system

Hi-tech apparatus

Armin demonstrating how it works. Armin can help you set up your own home theater system.

Riding The Trams Of Melbourne

Riding The Trams Of Melbourne

               I was holding a special transportation ticket that Saturday when I boarded the train at the Watergardens Terminal in Sydenham. At $3.00 per ticket, the ticket holder is entitled to ride any train, tram and bus the whole day. This promo is good on Saturdays and Sundays only. That day, with my digicam in my pocket as usual, I was determined on seeing Melbourne City and the suburbs on board Melbourne's world-renowned trams. I was thinking that, as long as I could read signage, traffic directions and with a tourist guide manual in my back pocket, the chances of getting lost were almost nil.

              Melbourne City owns the distinction of having the largest tramway network  in the whole world.  With almost 500 trams, old and new, running through more than 30 routes and covering a distance of 250 kilometers of tracks when joined together, this type of transportation system has been used since the late 1800's and boasts of servicing more than 182 million passengers in a given year. The tramway network of Melbourne is under the management of Public Transport Network.

                As the trams are tourist attractions themselves and most tourists want to experience a tram ride, there are selected trams which are free to tourists.  These trams travel around a designated loop within the city and pass through major tourist sights and destinations with a voice-over guide providing significant details. These coaches have either brown or green painting with a City Circle marked on the sides. There are specially-designated stations where tourists can board or alight. Tourists are provided with free travel information brochures.

                It was already past 5pm and I had taken countless tram rides for that particular day. I had seen Parliament, the State Library, Docklands, Queen Victoria Market and The Shrine of Remembrance.  I had taken the tram to Toorak, to Port Melbourne, to Chapel Street, to East Brunswick and to Boxhill. I didn't have to pay as all the trips were covered by that special promo ticket. But in my last planned tram ride to Melbourne Sports Complex, I was not so sure where to transfer.  

               At a station near Flinders, a man in uniform, looking at the San Miguel Beer logo embossed on my jacket, approached and said:  " Filipino kayo? "  He was the driver of the tram !!! And, obviously, he was Filipino also. And I replied:  " Di ko alam papunta Rod Laver Arena."   To which he uttered:  "Ako ang bahala. Dyan ka lang."  And he returned to the driver's seat. 

             After a few minutes, at an intersection near Batman Bridge, the driver said:  " Baba ka na dito.  Malapit ka na sa Rod Laver. "  I was thankful to the Filipino driver.  And as I was heading towards the sports center, I looked back and saw the tram make a sudden stop. The driver was disembarking and was shouting : " Diretso ka lang.  Hwag ka na liliko."   The tram passengers, Caucasians and Asians , were all looking at me. I felt somewhat embarrassed like a child.  I waved back at the driver and gestured that he should now go. I made it to the Rod Laver tennis court in five minutes. Now, as I was telling you before, the chances of getting lost are almost nil. Right?

 -Konted

Only trams are allowed within this portion of Bourke Street in Melbourne's Central Business District (CBD).

The old model (right) is bound for Bundoora which covers Whisttlesea while the bigger tram (left) has St. Kilda as its point of origin.

This tram takes you to East Brunswick where the world-famous Lygon Street is located.  Fine restaurants line the street of Lygon. Shown above is a B-2 class tram.

A tram waits for the green light at the corner of Flinders Street and Swanston Street.  It is one of the busiest intersections of Melbourne proper.

Taking it easy on board the tram.

An A1-class tram stops at a station near Flinders.  

A D1- class tram.  This one is longer and bigger.

Passengers in front get a clear view of what lies ahead.

The interior of a newer and more spacious tram

Route 96 is considered as a historic route. This one passes through a busy commercial street in the city.

Taken while I was waiting for a tram.

Only  trams are allowed in this area.

This tram advertises Melbourne Aquarium which is another tourist attraction.

Tram station located between Crown Casino Complex and the International Exhibition Center.

View of Melbourne's Central Business District from the tram station.

W7-class tram near Parliament.  This classic tram offers free ride to tourists. The tram is marked City Circle.

Interior of classic W-7 class tram.  There is a voice-over guide as you pass tourists sights within the city.

Another W7-class tram for tourists. Take note of the City Circle sign at the waiting station.

Free tourist manuals are given to riders of City Circle trams.

This tram advertises a health insurance provider called NewCastle Industrial Benefits fund.

Passengers board and alight at a station near Swanston Street.

A C-class tram coming from Port Melbourne.

A fully loaded C-class tram

Three ladies enjoy the cool breeze at Port Melbourne.

From Port Melbourne, this C-class tram is bound for Box Hill which is about 12 kilometers away.

I took this picture of the Spirit of Tasmania while waiting at the tram station in Port Melbourne.  The ship travels to and from Tasmania.

Nice ocean view at Port Melbourne

Route 96 is one of the most popular routes.  It passes through St. Kilda.

View from the tram

 Bonus for the day

A D1 tram starts from Malvern and ends at Melbourne University.

From Docklands, this tram is bound for North Balwyn.

You validate your ticket through the green box.

Victoria's first wind-powered tram passes by Southern Cross Station.

A Z2-class tram 

Tram driver answers queries from passengers near Docklands during the Australian Open.

Photo taken in front of the Rod Laver Arena during the Australian Open.

Tram station in front of Federation Square

A D1-class tram is about to leave the tram station near Federation Square.

Photo of Federation Square taken while on board a tram.

A tram with a Gazman advertisement stops at a loading and unloading area  in front of Flinders Train Station.

View from the tram as it crosses the Princes Bridge.

Tram passes by the historic Forum Theater along Flinders Street. Forum Theater opened in 1929.

It is wintertime in Melbourne.

Australian Grand Prix enthusiasts wait for another tram bound for Albert Park.

More passengers board a tram that will take them to the Australian Grand Prix.

Entrance to Albert Park where the Australian Grand Prix is held annually.

Driver of a new tram poses for a picture.

Bound for Glen Iris which is about 8 or 9 kms. away.

A tram crosses a bridge that connects Melbourne's Central Business District to the South Bank.